Love Uncovered
by Castaway Jane
Summary: The body of a child is discovered in a deserted building. As the truth unfolds everybody realises that things are rarely as simple as they first seem.
1. Introduction

Introduction ****

Introduction

Steve Sloan stood talking to the two uniformed officers who were perched on the bonnet of their patrol car. One nodded in response to Steve's speech, his cap sitting beside him as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. The second officer's head was hung low and he balanced a cup of coffee on his knee, oblivious to the conversation going on next to him. The scattering of small wooden houses behind Steve were in poor condition, their large yards fenced off with old pallets and bits of barbed wire. Nevertheless a hint of their original style shone through; 50 years ago this would have been a good suburb bustling with young families and professional workers. Now it looked little more than a ghost town.

Steve's attention was drawn to the unmarked car pulling up amongst the patrol vehicles and forensics van. Patting the dejected officer on the shoulder he made his way across the road as the car doors opened and out stepped his father followed by Amanda.

"Thanks for coming over, I know you had a day off" Steve started apologetically.

"It's OK, I always like to explore new areas of town" Amanda smirked, raising her eyebrows and taking in the scene around her.

"Hardly looks like a centre for crime" Mark observed, "does anybody actually still live here?" 

"Not whoever I'm her to visit" Amanda quipped "What've you got for me?"

"I think I may have jumped the gun getting you over here" he confessed "This might not really be in your scope of work" he continued. Steve placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder and shot a glance towards the two officers across the street. A concerned expression crept across Amanda's face as she slowly took in the mood of the other people milling around the area.

"How bad?" Mark asked without prompting.

"We were called over by those guys"

Steve pointed to a blue work van a few yards down the road. The double doors were open and sitting in the back were two men, one in his early 40's with dark hair, wearing a scruffy T-shirt and jeans. The second man was much younger, late teens with a shaved head, bare chest and a pair of running sweats cut off into shorts. Steve flipped though his note pad.

"This whole street was due for demolition, nobody's lived here for over 15 years. People were worried about it turning into a problem area but the houses are still structurally sound, some council guy figured they still had potential. 28 properties in all, bought by individuals at cut down prices, they agree to do them up to a certain standard and live in them, strictly no sublet, minimum live-in period. The council doesn't have to go through the expense of demolition and Joe Public gets a nice house or two. The plan is that in a few years the area will be regenerated, you just have to put in the legwork." 

He paused and looked back at the blue work van. "Andy Richardson, a builder by trade, and his son Paul" Mark and Amanda turned to look at them, the older man was resting a hand on his son's knee. "Paul's 17" Steve continued, "needs a weekend project and his own place when he start's college in a few months time. His dad agreed to put up the money and help him get started then Paul would finish the place off in his spare time. They've gutted the interior of the house, put in new floors, it's coming along nicely".

Amanda and Mark both knew he was stalling for time, reluctant to approach the reason for their visit.

"What did they find?" she asked and felt Steve's grip on her shoulder tighten.

"These properties were all built with outhouses around back, Andy decided theirs was beyond repair and Paul figured it blocked a good view so this weekends project was to pull it down. Paul was taking up the floorboards, they were rotten through, and he found something bundled up down there."

"A body" Mark jumped in

"After all this time, I don't think that's the right term for what he found"

"Remains, a skeleton you mean?" Amanda observed clinically as she began to move towards the gate.

Steve nodded slowly and walked behind her around the side of the building. A police photographer passed them and two men dressed head to toe in white paper suits stood in conference by the back door. As Amanda reached the tiny outhouse she looked back at Steve in puzzlement. "The remains" Steve started softly placing a hand on her arm "they're the remains of a baby".


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 ****

Chapter 1

Jesse and Mark were already waiting with Amanda in her pathology lab, chatting amongst themselves when Steve entered. A buff coloured folder was tucked under his arm and he pinched the rim of a cup of coffee with the fingers of his other hand. He stopped abruptly as he caught sight of the tiny bump under the pale blue sheet on the gray metal gurney. He swallowed hard before addressing Amanda

"Hey, have you got anything for me?" he nodded towards the gurney.

"This is a bit out of my league, I'm used to dealing with more complete, I mean more recent corpses" she looked at the blue sheet "All I can tell you is what I didn't find."

Steve raised a hand for her to continue, as Jesse and Mark listened intently.

"No broken bones that I can find, no cut or scrape marks on the bones to suggest trauma"

"So it wasn't foul play?" Jesse interrupted, his usual boisterous tone replaced by a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"Not necessarily" Amanda corrected him "suffocation, malnutrition, poisoning, a hundred other ways of harming an infant that wouldn't show up in remains like this."

Jesse dropped his head realising he'd jumped the gun with his question.

"But you wouldn't poison a baby" Steve began "Something as small and helpless as that, we get cases all too frequently of shaken baby syndrome, suffocation is pretty common too. Basically you're saying we can't rule out murder right?"

Amanda nodded, still looking at the tiny mound on the gurney

"And if it was natural causes why hide it" Steve added, "can you give me an approximate age?"

Amanda let out a long deep breath "Young, very young indeed. Going on size and bone development I'd say absolute maximum of a month old" Mark nodded in agreement. "This baby could have been just a few hours old when" she bit her lip.

Steve waited a moment before asking "how long do you think she, he?"

"He, little boy" Amanda confirmed.

"How long had he been down there?"

Amanda shrugged, "really, we'd have to test the bones to give you a date, that'll take a few days to process"

"Guess?" he almost pleaded

She shrugged again, wrapping her arms around herself. Amanda was visibly upset as her eyes remained focused on the blue sheet, Steve's questions not helping her mood "I don't know Steve" she snapped "50 years, more, when were those houses built?"

He flicked through the folder "Mid 20's". He took a sip of coffee as Amanda thought about it. 

"OK, presume that's the only place they've ever been and I'd say 50 to 80 years".

Steve sat in silence for a while then scanning the room said "The clothes, pieces of fabric he was wrapped in, I'll take them for forensics."

Amanda crossed the room and handed him the clear plastic bag from her desk "I guess the clothes where hand knitted, white wool, remnants of a white towel diaper. The cloth he was wrapped in looks like it was probably an adults headscarf, I think there is some print along the side." She turned the bag over and pointed to a swatch of faded red and orange fabric "I can't make it out, hopefully your guys will have more luck. Generally it has survived pretty well, it was surprisingly dry down there."

"May I?" Mark asked taking the plastic bag from Steve. He scrunched up his nose first peering closely at the bag then holding it at arms length.

"What?" Steve seemed unconvinced by his father's investigation skills. Mark rotated the bag in his hand squinting at it again.

"Can you see a pattern here?" he wagged a finger over the plastic "Orange swirl then this browny bit." Jesse looked over his shoulder and Amanda stepped closer to them. "The red's a little dirty and this here" he pointed again "this could have been pink but it faded worse than the rest".

Steve tapped his foot impatiently "And all this tells us?"

"Your aunt Dora had one just like it" Mark grinned, 

Steve rolled his eyes "fascinating, and that gem of family history helps me because?"

"You know Dora was always the height of fashion, up to date, and quite exclusive in her tastes, wouldn't shop anywhere too common" he smiled again 

Steve sighed in defeat realising his father expected him to follow his theory with ease. "You're suggesting I get aunt Dora to take a look at a fabric swatch?" he guessed

Mark shook his head, "No need for that, it's there" he tapped his temple "I know I saw her wearing it…" He closed his eyes, Steve shot a glance at Jesse and shook his head "It was, it was, Got it!" he snapped his fingers "The day the war ended, she threw her arms around my neck and I had my face buried in this very same fabric. Your aunt Dora bought this material in 1945, and I could name a handful of shops she would have used at the time".

"Try beginning with A" Amanda suggested, then seeing their confused looks explained "The name printed along the hem begins An or Am as far as I can tell."

"Angus Fabrics on Delaware Road" Mark beamed.

Steve let out a small laugh "Thanks dad, if you're right at least it gives me somewhere to start until forensics give me anything more solid."

"Anything you want me to do?" Jesse asked though his usual eager tone was still absent.

"No, I'm OK for now thanks"

As Jesse and Mark left Steve turned to Amanda who was still staring at the gurney. Steve turned the plastic bag containing the tiny clothes over in his hands "thanks Amanda, I know this one wasn't easy" he said.

"It's the job" she replied, her voice void of emotion.

"That doesn't always make it better though, does it?" he asked.

She shook her head slowly and as he turned to close the door behind himself he saw the single tear which she brushed from her cheek.

****

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"Full House" Steve puffed as he bounded up onto the deck of the beach house.

"Good Run?" Mark asked and Steve nodded as he braced his hands on his knees. 

"Hey buddy" he bent down and ruffled CJ's hair as he scooted his toys across the deck "nice police car, where's your brother?"

"Inside watching TV alone, bit of a grouch today" Amanda answered.

"Have you been showing off my beautiful baby photos again?" Steve grinned, faking embarrassment. He nodded to the brown leather album that sat on the table between Jesse and Mark.

"Not quite" his father chuckled "just a little confirmation of my hunch yesterday. I know you said you didn't need our help just yet but it was for my own satisfaction". He flipped open the book and gently turned the 'pages' which were in fact fabric samples. "Angus Fabrics of course has long gone, but I called Dora, she sends her love by the way" Steve smiled "she remembered the owner as _a beautiful, beautiful man_" he mimicked "by the name of Arthur Angus who lived on Richmond Drive. I called over there this afternoon and he was delighted to help somebody tracing a discontinued pattern. I described it in three words and he opened the album straight to the page." Mark slid the album to Steve. The fabric was indeed, as far as Steve could make out at least, the same as the faded piece he's seen in Amanda's lab.

"Very good" Steve conceded, inwardly marvelling at his fathers resourcefulness, not to mention memory for detail. "Don't suppose he remembered selling a piece to a shady looking character?" he teased, not wanting his father to get too carried away with his detective skills.

"No, but he was sure he only stocked that pattern from February 1945 to the Christmas of 1946. It was his own design so nowhere else would have sold it".

"OK" Steve was thinking out loud "So the earliest that the material could have been purchased was the start of '45." He disappeared inside and emerged moments later with a few sheets of paper stapled in the corner. "Scratch the first three tenants of our house on Garret Drive, Ogilby, Bennett and Rushdon. We've got a couple, Dr and Mrs Robins, lived there from 1943 until June 1945. Then a woman by the name of Oxley had the place from August '45 until the February of '46. The place was empty for a few months then a Mr Miller was the owner." He thought for a moment. "We've got '45 as one parameter, but the material doesn't help us with the other extent." He turned to Amanda "In your opinion, what's the latest the baby could have been placed there?"

"I'd still say at least 50 years" Amanda offered "but if you want me to be really conservative then go with 40 years."

"OK 40 years, Miller had the place from June '46 until he passed away in October 1959. Mrs Rice was the next occupant from December '59 until the early 70's, she's also passed away. 1 other name on the list then vacant since '84." He sat looking at the paper a while longer. "Mr Miller and Mrs Rice are both out as far as interviews go" he thought for a moment "and I'd go with the premise that whoever did this wouldn't want to hang around the scene of the crime. So as both were long term tenants and no longer able to give me any info themselves I'm willing to bump them down this list for a while." The others nodded at his logic and he drummed his fingers on the table top "Dr Robins and Miss Oxley" he sat back in his chair.

"June '45 the doctor left?" Jesse asked suddenly, Steve glanced at the paper again and nodded "Miss Oxley took the place in August?" again Steve nodded. "OK, so in a month anybody could have walked in and put the body there, not exactly high security, an outhouse in the forties." 

"By the same reasoning anybody could have walked in anytime and put it there" Amanda pointed out.

Steve rolled his eyes "I usually try to progress in an investigation, narrow down the possibilities you know?" he joked.

"Why?" Mark asked

"Because that's what the police department pay me to do" Steve exclaimed.

"No I mean why leave him there, if it was the doctor or Miss Oxley, wouldn't they be frightened the next owners would discover it? Or if it was this stranger from the street the same question applies".

There was silence for a while before Jesse asked "What if it wasn't foul play, what if somebody _wanted_ the baby to be found, like by a doctor for example." He expanded on his theory "you get babies abandoned on the steps of hospitals right? Back then everybody in a neighbourhood like that would know which house belonged to a doctor. Maybe somebody left him in the outhouse expecting him to be rescued."

"Why not _on the doorstep_ in that case?" Steve retorted, "Sorry Jess, doesn't fit."

"Especially as the baby was _under_ the floorboards" Amanda pointed out.

Steve ran his fingers through his hair "OK, I guess tomorrow I take a look at Dr Robins and Miss Oxley, see if I can find them alive and well and willing to talk, though judging by the dates I doubt it. Talk about a cold case, this one's so old it's practically frozen. And we still don't know it's a murder investigation" he added.

"That little boy" Amanda hissed "at least deserves our efforts, however he got there." She hadn't intended her words to be so harshly aimed at her friend.

Steve looked at her apologetically, realising she'd mistaken his frustration for indifference. He headed towards the kitchen "my cue to shower for dinner" he called. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 ****

Chapter 2

"Hey Susan" Steve smiled at the pretty blond nurse by the admin desk, "have you seen dad?" 

"Sure, you just missed him, he and Jesse were headed to the cafeteria a couple of minutes ago"

"Thanks, I'll catch them up."

Susan made her way back to the ward as Steve headed the cafeteria. As he entered through the double doors he spotted the table where his father and Jesse sat. He began across the room just as Amanda approached him carrying a tray of food.

"Steve", her voice startled him.

"Hey Amanda", he stepped back, allowing her to lead the way, weaving amongst the other diners.

"Steve I'm sorry if you thought I was being funny with you last night it's just you know"

"A case like this" he finished and she nodded. He pulled a chair out for her and pushed it back in gently as she sat down.

"Thought you were progressing in your investigation and narrowing things down" Jesse mocked dryly as he took a bite from his sandwich.

"I am, which is why I'm here" Steve's statement peaked their attention. "Would you like to guess where Dr Robins was working between 1943 and 1950?"

Mark thought a moment then pressed a finger down on the table "Here at Community General."

"A prize to the man in the white coat with ketchup stains."

Mark tutted and wiped at the red smudge on his coat with a napkin.

"OK" Steve continued "Would anybody else like to guess where Mrs Annie Oxley worked as a nurse from 1944 until 1946?"

Jesse forced his finger to the table, desperately trying to speak through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Yeah" Steve put him out of his misery "Also here at Community General. And coincidentally" he rolled his eyes, "and you know how much I love a good old coincidence, she bought the property on Garrett Drive from Dr Robins suggesting they may have know each other outside of work."

"Is that a lead?" Amanda asked.

Steve shrugged "I'll take anything at the moment, now correct me if I'm mistaken" he aimed the question at his father "but wouldn't it be odd for a young married woman in the forties to buy a place herself? She was definitely a Mrs but no sign of a husband yet."

Mark thought for a moment "Slightly unusual, but her husband could have still been off at war or she could have been widowed."

"Well, given the fact Dr and Mrs Robins have both passed away and I'm having trouble tracking down Mrs Oxley, I thought I'd give the personnel records here a go. They should go back that far right?"

Amanda nodded "but lord knows how many inches of dust they'll be under or how well indexed they'd be" she warned him.

Steve paused, eyes darting around the table "Ah, y'see the thing is I'm a bit tied up with another investigation at the moment so I was wondering if one of you?" he didn't need to finish. As vehemently as Amanda was shaking her head, Jesse was nodding his.

"Thanks Jess"

"No problem, like Amanda said yesterday, this deserves all our efforts". He cringed realising how pious, not to mention accusing of Steve and Amanda's reluctance to spend the day in the basement filing rooms he sounded. 

His remark appeared to go unnoticed as Amanda continued with her lunch and Steve looked towards the door.

"What is it?" Mark asked after his son had been quiet a few minutes.

"I'd do the ground work myself" he explained "but technically" he sighed "unless forensics give us definite murder or bit more recent than 50 years, the boss wants this as low priority. I mean helping old ladies across the road, handing out parking tickets low priority." He saw the fury on Amanda's face but hoped it was directed towards the bureaucracy of the system in the same way his own was.

"In that case" Mark chirped, sensing his son's frustration "it looks like you're going to need some willing helpers."

****

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Jesse sat up straight in his chair at BBQ Bobs as Susan nibbled at the plate of ribs beside him and Amanda sipped an iced tea though a straw. A neat stack of folders sat next to his left hand. He cleared his throat, patted the folders then assumed the pose of _'the thinker'_. Everyone smiled, realising how much Jesse loved playing detective.

"In the course of my investigations this afternoon" he began dramatically, Steve and Susan tried hard to subdue their giggles as Amanda blew bubbles into her glass. He waited for quiet before beginning again in a more regular tone of voice "I found little unexpected about Dr Henry Robins, he was married to Sarah, they had three children and he left the hospital in 1950 to enter general practice. Impeccable record, and er, well, yeah that's about it. Personnel wasn't up to much in those days" he added apologetically. He took a breath before beginning again "Mrs Annie Oxley was a nurse, and it's probable that she and Robins worked together though it's not mentioned specifically in her file." He paused "but there's something that might interest you if you're still having trouble locating her" he offered and Steve lent across the table slightly, listening intently to Jesse as he continued. "In 1946 Annie resigned, she gave her reason as the fact her husband had a new job in Canada so they were moving up there." Steve nodded for him to carry on "She asked for a letter of reference, a copy of it is still in here" he patted the files again "The letter was written by her Staff Nurse, Daisy Baxter, and co-signed by Henry Robins"

Steve thought about the information he'd just received "Does anybody else think it's strange Robins sold Oxley a house and then authorised a, I presume glowing reference for her?" Jesse confirmed his assumption with a nod. "No mention of her husband?" Steve asked.

"When she first registered with personnel he was listed as her next of kin, his name was Donald. But when her file was last reviewed she'd switched her next of kin to her younger sister, Harriet Reid."

"If life with Donald was so rosy she'd planned on moving up to Canada with him, why list the sister as next of kin?" Amanda asked.

"Donald could have gone ahead for a number of reasons. While he was sorting things out in Canada Annie worked her notice at the hospital. Listing a local relative maybe seemed more practical in terms of an emergency contact.

Everybody mulled over the facts and their possibly hints for a moment. Recognising the expectant look on Jesse's face Steve acknowledged "Thanks for that Jess, you've been a great help" Jesse beamed at Susan who tried to hide her evident pride behind a smirk.

"Daisy Baxter" Mark added cryptically

"You're slowing down in your old age dad, we past her a while back" Steve joked

"Daisy Baxter, she was in the staff news letter last month" he added and Susan nodded slowly in recognition.

"Surely she's a little old to still be practising medicine?" Steve quipped but his remark was ignored. 

"She's in that nursing home by the coast, Oak something" Susan explained "Oak View or Oak Park, it said she was their oldest resident celebrating her, what was it 90th, 95th birthday?" Mark nodded and together they smiled at Steve.

"I'll go with Donald Oxley's details from the files first thanks" he began. Susan and Mark raised their eyebrows as Jesse and Amanda joined in the silent bullying tactics. Steve raised his hands "I won't rule her out but I've got my hands full already, I'd rather concentrate on the major players first. Anyhow, it's a bit of a long shot, I can't expect to get results by asking a ninety five year old ex-hospital worker if she remembers a nurse and a doctor from the 40's!"

"Quite right" Mark agreed to Steve's amazement "You need a certain demeanour, a knack or a talent to talk to the frail or infirm. What you need is somebody who's good with old people, knows how somebody in the nursing profession would remember people or situations and let's say, gets off shift tomorrow at around" he looked at Jesse, nodding in Susan's direction 

"One o'clock" Jesse chirped

"Say around one o'clock. I wonder if we could find such a person who'd be happy to help me chat to an elderly lady about the good old days?" Steve, Mark and Jesse all smiled at Susan who simply raised her palms in compliance. 

"Welcome aboard" Steve laughed as he got up to leave "If I don't want to lose my job to you lot I'd better try and do some of this detective work for a change. Good luck for tomorrow, I guess I'll hear about it at?"

"Dinner at our place 8 o'clock" Mark answered.

"You're the boss so you buy" Amanda added.

"That's buy, not cook" Jesse emphasised as Steve stepped out into the darkness.

****

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Susan and Mark followed the young orderly as he guided them swiftly through the halls of the Oaks Court nursing home. They entered the large airy day room to find the French doors were wide open, inviting in the warm afternoon breeze. The orderly crossed the open floor before he crouched by one of the high winged, floral upholstered chairs.

"Daisy, you've got some visitors, more people from the hospital" he hollered "you must be famous down there," he shouted and the old woman chuckled. The orderly stood and addressed Mark and Susan "Deaf as a door-post but she's still got all her buttons on" he smiled. "She's a good one Daisy can bark a bit 'til you get to know her but never any real bother, always says please and thank you, not like some of the other old bats shouting orders like you're their personal slave."

"She's probably been on the receiving end in her time" Susan observed, thinking of how poorly respected nurses would have been when Daisy was practicing. She and Mark moved towards the old woman's chair, Mark positioning himself between the chair and the French doors. 

"Mrs Baxter" he shouted, the plump white haired woman raised a frail puffy hand to him and he squeezed it gently "I'm Dr Mark Sloan, from Community General and this is Nurse Susan Hilliard." 

Daisy smiled, "pleased to meet you both" she replied, oblivious to the volume at which she spoke "are you here about the news letter?" she shouted.

"Not exactly" Mark continued, increasingly conscious of the level of his voice "we were wondering if you'd take the time to talk to us about the hospital in the old days?"

"Are you writing a book?" she hollered.

"Not exactly" Mark thought for a moment about how best to bring the subject up, glancing at Susan as he did so.

"Typical doctor" Daisy attempted to whisper at Susan who smiled down at her. "Why don't you sit down and tell me what's on his mind missy, I ain't senile and I think the cat's got his tongue."

Susan pulled a chair up beside Daisy who instantly took one of her hands in her own.

"Well" Susan began slowly "we're trying to find out some information about a nurse who worked at the hospital when you were there."

"Lots a nurses at a hospital, wanna narrow it down for me or should I just name 'em all?" Susan smiled at her abrupt but warm manner.

"Her name was Annie Oxley, she worked there from 1944 until 1946. She left to join her husband in"

"Canada" Daisy whispered at the same time as Susan "Nice girl Annie, good nurse too, shame to lose her."

"Do you remember a Dr Robins who was there at the same time?" Susan asked and Daisy nodded.

"Thought this was about a nurse so how comes you're asking about Henry Robins?"

"Do you know if Mrs Oxley had any special connection to Dr Robins?" Mark asked without answering her question.

"Special connection, what does that mean?" she asked Susan, scrunching up her button nose as she did so. When she again received no reply she looked back to Marks, and on his expression she added "Men, minds in the gutter! Yes she and Henry worked together and they were friends too, kind of. He helped her out but no funny business. Why do doctors always think nurses are falling at their feet?" Susan blushed slightly and Daisy laughed "Oh not you too girlie, well I hope yours is a bit younger than this one!"

"How did Dr Robins help Annie out" Mark asked, then repeated himself more loudly when the old woman failed to hear him.

"Annie had family problems, Henry was understanding with stuff like that. She was good at her job but she had a lot on her mind, he appreciated her situation."

"The situation with her husband?" Susan asked, aware that a few of the other residents were by now listening in on their conversation as if it were the daily soap opera. 

"Her husband and her sister, she was a bit of a tear away by all accounts."

"What was the problem with Donald?" Mark asked.

Daisy shuffled in her chair "What's all this about, prying into the poor woman's private life?"

"I'm trying to help my son, he's a police detective and he's trying to locate Mrs Oxley."

"Tell your boy to look in Canada, that's where she was heading last time I saw her. Past that I really can't tell you much. Except you're barking up the wrong tree with Henry Robins, he was happily married and a nice guy to boot. He sold Annie his house when it got too small for his family, Donald was up north already, her and her sister needed a place for a while. When she left I wrote her a letter of reference and Henry signed it, but he'd have done the same for any of the nurses he believed in".

Mark thought for a moment then extending his hand to the old lady shouted "Thanks for you're time."

Daisy smiled, let go of Susan's hand on her lap and shook Mark's. As Susan stood up Daisy caught her by the arm and beckoned for Susan to lean down to her "remind your young doctor who's in charge" she whispered, though half the room heard. Susan smiled as she and Mark made their way across the open floor to the door.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 ****

Chapter 3

"OK, so if we take Daisy's version of events, Dr Robins is coincidental in the whole matter but we now have two young women living in the house, Annie Oxley and her little sister Harriet Reid." Steve summarised as he opened the pizza boxes. Susan and Mark nodded, "so really the baby could have belonged to either of them, which still leaves us a long way from a motive, cause of death, evidence, y'know the usual stuff that comes in handy in an investigation."

"If Daisy had known that Annie was pregnant do you think she'd have told us?" Susan asked Mark.

He thought for a moment "she wasn't happy on us asking too many personal questions regarding Annie, said it wasn't her place to divulge somebody else's past. But she never hinted about a baby, only said Annie was heading up to Canada, not "they" or anything like that."

"There was nothing about maternity leave in Annie's personnel file" Jesse added, helping himself to a slice of 'mega-meat-extra' from the box.

Amanda shook her head "I doubt such a thing existed then. It was probably more common for a woman to simply give up work when she became pregnant."

Mark nodded in agreement "but" he said "there would still be cases where a woman needed to continue working, it's possible Annie could have stayed on at the hospital on light duties or even in an administrative capacity. She could have worked until the baby was almost due" he hypothesised.

"If the baby were hers" Steve pointed out "Was Daisy any more specific about this tearaway sister, Harriet?"

"Not really" Susan shook her head "we said we were there about tracing Annie, when we switched to Dr Robins she wasn't happy, I got the feeling she wouldn't have been any different if we'd started asking for information on Harriet. You have to remember Daisy's an old lady, it's not fair to pressure somebody like that." 

"But she's reliable right?" Steve asked.

Mark sighed "Yes she's reliable, but as Susan said you can't expect us to go around press-ganging the elderly into recounting gossip from half a century ago."

"OK, OK" Steve held his hands up in defence. "So now I've got two sisters to trace, what was I saying the other day about narrowing things down?" he shook his head. "I know it's too early to get pessimistic but considering I've had no luck so far with Annie, I'm not exactly brimming with confidence right now."

"I called the hospital in Vancouver" Amanda began, hoping to cheer Steve's mood. Her words grabbed his attention and he looked expectantly towards her. She was only sorry her news couldn't be more positive; "Annie had been accepted for a position there on the basis the reference Jesse found addressed to them, but there is no record of her ever taking up the position, personnel drew a total blank." Steve sighed again. "Sorry" Amanda added apologetically.

"Well either she didn't make it up there or decided against the job" Jesse reasoned.

"If she just decided against it why not tell them, leaving them hanging on sounds out of character for her, professionally speaking" Mark retorted.

Steve munched lazily on a slice of pizza, "what's next?" Jesse asked impatiently, Steve shrugged.

"Trace Annie Oxley and Harriet Reid would be a good start. The trouble is the chances are neither of the old dears have a criminal record, if they did my life would be a lot easier. And if Annie did move out of the area, even if it wasn't as far as Canada, it makes the search net all the greater. I'll see if I can turn anything in the area up on Harriet in the morning."

"What about Donald?" Mark asked.

"Same as Annie, I did a general phone book search for them both in the Vancouver area, only one Mrs A Oxley but three Mr D Oxleys. Two of the guys are still on the list, one was a Mr David Oxley, 27 year old mechanic. He's from Michigan originally but confirmed that Mrs 'A' of Fawdon Place was an old aunt. Unfortunately not old enough for us, she's 58, not to mention she's named Angelica and as far as David knew she'd never even been to California."

"He didn't know Donald?" Jesse asked.

"No, said he never came across many other people with the surname and he certainly didn't remember any Donalds in the family. Aunt Angelica's been a widow for 4 years, only moved to Canada herself 9 years ago. But he promised to ask his parents about the name when he calls them at the weekend, just in case."

Susan and Amanda reached for the last slice of pizza at the same moment, then both politely backed off, inviting the other to take it. Jesse took advantage of the situation, swiftly lifting it to his mouth and taking a huge bite. He was lucky not to choke as Amanda and Susan both slapped him on the arm.

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Mark had just convinced Steve to clear the table when the ringing of his mobile phone saved him from the chore. He grinned and flipped the phone open "Sloan, oh yeah, I'll accept the charges" he swept a clearing on the table, pulled forward his file and picked up a pen. The others strained to hear the voice at the other end of the phone, but were forced instead to fill in the gaps in the one sided conversation.

"Mr Oxley, Detective Sloan LAPD, thanks for calling back…

No sir, I'm trying to get in touch with a Mrs Annie Oxley, was wondering if you could help me…."

He gave Mark the thumbs up sign

"Oh, Ex-wife I see, do you know where I could get hold of her now…."

"Ah-ha, and when was the last time you were in contact…."

"Oh" the disappointment in his voice was apparent, and whatever news he'd received threw him for a moment. He rubbed his forehead and continued. 

"OK so there's been absolutely nothing since, no Christmas cards or phone calls…."

"I see, and at that time she was living with her sister is that correct…"

"What can you tell me about her sister, Harriet wasn't it…"

There was a long pause as the man on the other end of the phone continued to speak and Steve scribbled furiously on the cover of the file. Jesse craned his neck to try any read as Steve wrote. Steve continued to talk into the mouthpiece again

"Do you have a name for him…"

"Ah-ha, an address, place of work, something like that…"

"No it's nothing to do with him really, really it's Annie and Harriet I'd like to talk to…."

"No, of course not, nothing for you to worry about" he lied.

There was a long silence again before Steve replied "Oh I see, no you've been very helpful, thank you…."

Another pause followed and Steve stopped writing. A smile slowly crept across his face.

"I'm sure I can do that for you sir" he replied, 

"Can I ask you a personal question…"

"Yes that's correct…" he smiled

"I see, I'm sorry to hear that…"

"Well I'm happy for you, thanks again for your help sir, goodnight". 

Steve billowed his cheeks and blew, then smiled slightly "That was interesting."

"Well?" Amanda demanded.

"The last Donald Oxley heard from Annie was in January '46, they'd been married almost five years but separated for six months previous. He was 24, she was 23, he'd moved up to Canada, and Annie had stayed behind here with Harriet. This is the interesting part, he and Annie were both desperate for a child but were having trouble conceiving, it was putting pressure on the marriage. The separation was Annie's idea, apparently she ran hot and cold on him, telling him she couldn't make him any promises then saying it would work out in the long run, she just had to take care of her little sister first. Harriet was just 17, mixing with the wrong crowd and Annie wanted to straighten her out. Eventually she called Donald on the 27th January, he was very specific with the dates involved, she told him she was heading up to Canada to meet him straight away and it would all be perfect from there on in."

"No fairytale ending?" Amanda guessed

"He never heard from her again, figured she'd changed her mind again. When he tried to contact Annie down here he found she and Harriet had vanished without a trace. He had the marriage annulled 3 years later and re-married. He's got four kids and eleven grandchildren." Steve smiled, unsure whether to divulge the next piece of information or not. "Donald said when we find Annie to tell her, despite everything, she's still his first love" he grinned. 

Jesse got the benefit of Amanda and Susan's _'Aahh's_ in stereo.

Mark grinned then asked "whose this?" pointing to one of the names Steve had scrawled on the folder.

"Charles Farrah, Harriet's boyfriend and apparent bad influence. Donald Oxley says he did time for assault, nasty piece of work. He didn't know him personally, that's just what Annie told him. I guess I can look him up while I'm still chasing Harriet and Annie. Donald had an address but it's not likely to be of much use now. If he really was trouble he may have a recent record, well recent as far as this case goes" he explained.

"What do you want us to do next?" Susan asked.

"You'll be as bad as he is before long" Steve pointed to Jesse. "Thanks but I'm OK for now, I'll try and work on this lot tomorrow".

Jesse and Susan slumped back disappointedly in their chairs "Two of a kind" Mark chuckled.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 ****

Chapter 4

The modest white house on Briarwood Drive was surrounded by immaculate green lawns and carefully pruned shrubs and bushes. The boarders were filled with an array of brightly coloured flowers, to the right was a small ornamental pond, to the left two old oak trees. Mark followed behind Steve as he pushed back the small gate in the low wooden fence and entered the garden up a neat gravel path. By the pond an old man knelt on a cushioned pad, whistling softly as he pulled weeds from the concrete surround. 

"Mr Farrah?" Steve asked as Mr Farrah turned to face him.

"I may be, young man, depends what you're selling", his voice was deep but with a melodic tone.

Steve flipped his badge "Detective Sloan, LAPD, Dr Sloan, police consultant, I was wondering if you'd mind answering a few questions sir?"

The old man pushed himself slowly to his feet, Steve reached out an arm to steady him as he began to cough relentlessly. Farrah was tall, he'd probably been 6' 5" in his day Steve thought, but the years had given him a stoop that was exaggerated by his wiry frame. He motioned towards a table and chairs on the front porch and the three men climbed the two wooden steps before taking a seat.

"So what can I do for you?" Farrah asked politely after regaining his breath.

"Well" Steve began "we're tying to trace two sisters and in the course of our inquiries your name came up as a possible acquaintance." Farrah nodded, and Steve continued "The ladies in question are Annie Oxley and her younger sister Harriet Reid". Steve said no more, as he and Mark waited for the old man's reaction.

He coughed into a handkerchief then mumbled a little. Realising he hadn't been heard he started again in a more definite tone "That was a long time ago sonny, I mean a real long time ago, why you out looking for the Reid girls now?"

"I got their names from a property register, something irregular was found at a house they used to live in on Garrett Drive and I was wanted to see if they could shed any light on the subject" 

"Bit late to be collecting missed mortgage repayments" Farrah cackled, and began smiling broadly. Mark and Steve both smiled a little.

"You knew Annie and Harriet" Steve continued without correcting the old man "I believe you dated Harriet for a while, is that correct?"

Farrah was silent for a moment and Mark noted the distinct wheezing as he breathed heavily. Eventually he started in hushed tones "Yeah I knew Harriet, but we were kids, that was all. I'm married now, children, grandchildren, and the thing is" he peered towards the house "I never really told my wife about Harriet, she still thinks she was my first girl you know what I mean?"

Steve nodded "Don't worry Mr Farrah."

"Charlie, please" he insisted.

"Charlie, I'll be very discreet" Steve assured him, "but I have to ask you a few more questions first."

Farrah nodded "OK son, ask away."

"How did you and Harriet meet?" Steve asked and Farrah chuckled loudly between sporadic coughs.

Pointing across the street he wheezed " it didn't take much arranging, she lived right across the road there, I knew her my whole life!"

Mark asked "You've always lived here, in this house."

Farrah nodded proudly, "My father bought it just before I was born, but he worked way a lot, never had much time for the garden. I made it my own little project when I was old enough to. Planted my first border roses for my mother when I was eight years old." He signalled behind himself "The climbing Ivy and trailing clematis, I was about 15 when I got those to take. It's why I kept the place when my folks passed on, the house isn't much special but the garden, well it's my love." He addressed Mark directly "do you know I planted every single thing in this garden myself, all myself and all from bulb or seed" he sat back triumphantly.

Mark looked genuinely impressed, but Steve continued with his questioning "so if you grew up with Harriet, when did you start dating?"

Farrah shrugged and a small laugh escaped him "I don't know, I carried her books from school when she was in third grade, took her swimming down in the river every summer, I guess she was always my girl. We were kids, but I still remember the first time I kissed her or put my arm around her in the movies. I can tell you of a thousand moments like that, but I can't say when we started courting. We were just always together Harriet and me." He smiled warmly as he looked at the house across the road.

"Are you and Harriet still in touch?" Steve asked, and Mr Farrah looked at him with a shocked expression. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" Steve asked

"No it's just" he thought for a moment "it's a nice idea I guess, but you watched too many movies my boy. The guy doesn't always get the girl, it's not always happily ever after", he added bitterly.

"What happened?" Mark asked but Farrah ignored him. Steve noted how his face had hardened now.

"Mr Farrah, when were you last in touch with Miss Reid" Steve asked.

"1945, the end of September, that was the last time I saw my Harriet." His answer was lacking in emotion.

"Nothing else since?" Farrah shook his head firmly "And Annie, her sister?"

Farrah glared at Steve but didn't speak. The wheezing intensified until he was forced to cough into his handkerchief again. Steve and Mark exchanged looks. Realising the men were still waiting for a reply he began weakly "Annie, I dunno, the same time I guess, there or there about, I mean what is all this about anyway?" he barked.

Steve didn't answer the question "Just a few more questions Mr Farrah, you last saw the Reid sisters in September 1945. Is it correct that directly after that time you served three months for assault?"

"You've obviously done your homework sonny so why bother asking?" Farrah spat.

"Did your time in jail have something to do with you and Harriet losing touch?"

"I never touched Harriet if that's what you're thinking! But you're right, it was just what she wanted, the ammunition she needed" he spluttered.

"Why did Harriet need ammunition against you?" Mark asked

"Not Harriet, Annie!" he cried as if Mark were a fool, then looking back to the ivy clad house he lowered his voice. Though Mark and Steve had to lean close to hear him the tone of his voice was distinctly acidic "Annie, old maid that she was, got it in her head I wasn't good enough for her little sister. Annie had got married but her fella split on her, went up to Canada, and I don't blame the guy. She was jealous of Harriet and me, we were getting along great and then I said we should get married. Well Annie just flipped, she always had it in for me, even as kids, she always thought she was better then the rest of us around here. I won't lie to you guys, I was a scoundrel in my youth but nothing near as bad as Annie liked to make out." Steve noted how Farrah spat her name "Then it's perfect for her, I get three months inside on a jumped up assault charge and when I get out they've moved" he waved at the house across the street "clean disappeared I mean, and that was it. No second chance with Annie, when she made up her mind that was it, always taking the goddamn moral high ground. I looked far Harriet for a while afterwards but she'd gone, just disappeared. Guess Annie poisoned her mind against me, or" he swallowed hard "or maybe she just saw sense, Harriet could've done a lot better than me." He took a deep breath "Come to think of it I hope she did, I really hope my little girl's happy out there". His voice was soft now, almost breaking with each mention of Harriet's name.

Steve ended the silence "When you didn't find Harriet did you look for Annie?" 

Farrah's eyes widened and he laughed nervously "Annie, why would I want to do that?"

"She could have led you to Harriet" Mark pointed out.

Farrah shrugged again and coughed "No, nah I mean she wouldn't have helped me even if she could've. No I never had anything to do with Annie after that night, like I say about September time I guess, yeah, end of September" 

Steve's suspicion was aroused by Farrah's manner but he realised he'd pushed the old man as far as he could without further reason to do so. Standing above him he extended a hand "thanks for your time sir, I appreciate it. And if you think of anything else just give me a call". 

Steve tugged Mark's arm as he stopped to smell the roses on the way down the gravel path.

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"That was a quick ride" Mark laughed as Steve started the car then promptly stopped it 50 yards down the road in front of the old Reid house "You forget something?"

Steve shook his head, checking his rear view mirror "not really, just taking a look, thinking"

"Looking for inspiration?" Mark grinned, realising Steve trusted his instincts more now than when he first joined the force.

"Something like that. What did you make of him, the whole boy next door story?"

Mark thought for a moment "He seemed genuine enough to me, loved one of the Reid sisters and loathed the other. Probably a good thing they never married, could you imaging Christmas dinner if that's really what he thought of Annie!"

"Yeah, must have been a hell of a grudge back then if this is how he reacts to her name after fifty odd years" 

The frantic rapping on the driver's side window made both Steve and Mark jump. Steve turned to see the tiny blue rinsed woman with a walking stick held up the window and a dog leash in her other hand. He opened the window "No point casing the joint Mr, I'm head of neighbourhood watch and I got your number now" she squawked. Steve tried hard not to laugh as he showed the old woman his badge. "A detective huh? I'm Rose Taylor, pleased to meet you" her voice had a falsely polite ring to it now. Steve was about to speak when Rose began again "What'ya doing around here? Somebody call you cos technically, as head of neighbourhood watch I should be informed too" she pointed out.

"No ma'am, not complaints, nothing for you to worry about", he glanced back at Charlie Farrah who was now watching them from the garden gate.

"He's a funny one" she waved her stick towards him as the tiny fluffy dog yanked on the leash.

"What makes you say that?" Steve tried to sound casual.

"He was a rotter when we were young, a real bad apple you know. He once stole a five-dollar bill from my mother's purse. Walked straight in the kitchen, bold as brass, took the money and left. Course when mother found it missing she was beside herself, father hit the roof and then there was Charlie, down the candy store acting all flash spending my mother's money. 5 dollars was a lot back then you know" she nodded to Mark who agreed.

"But he's not exactly a master criminal now" Steve prodded "lots of children go through phases where they push the boundaries"

"Huh!" Rose sounded indignant "That's the trouble with the police now, too damn easy on the little blighters. And it's true, nothing better than tough love. Half of Charlie's problem was he never got any, his father was always working away and his mother" she looked around then mimicked drinking from a bottle "y'know what I mean. Charlie was left to run free, only time he wasn't into mischief was when he was mucking around in that damn garden there. Got to admit he's got it real nice again this year though, looks after his property, better than some of the young ones we got in here now, couldn't care less."

Steve jumped in as the old lady paused for breath "He sounds like a good neighbour now that he's matured slightly, been nice talking to you Mrs Taylor and keep up the good work". He quickly wound up the window and smiled sweetly as Rose puffed her tiny chest and marched across the street, almost hanging the tiny dog as she raised her hand to wave them goodbye.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 ****

Chapter 5

The clock above the door read 23:39, Steve groaned and continued to write slowly on the pad in front of him. The station was almost silent now and he was the only officer left upstairs, the phone next to him rang and he picked it straight up. "Yeah Tim what've you got. Who? did she ask for me by name? She had my licence plate and badge number, I see, put her through" Steve sighed.

"Mrs Taylor" he chirped "nice to speak to you again, it's a little late for you to still be up isn't it?" He paused as the old woman gabbled in his ear "Well it's not an offence to garden at night, no I'm not saying it isn't odd but as far as I know it's not a crime" the old woman squawked again. "I see, well if the noise has stopped now there's little I can do about it". He looked at the pile of paperwork on his desk and thought of dealing with the neighbourhood gossip at this time of night, quickly deciding the paperwork was the lesser of two evils. "I'm sorry I can't leave the station right now" he lied "but give me a few minutes and I'll try and figure something out for you". He smirked as he hung up the phone.

****

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"I'm not saying helping Steve isn't fun, sometimes" Susan emphasised "but it's the middle of the night, we've both just finished really long shifts and I want nothing more than a long hot bath and to slip into bed" she pouted.

"When we're finished here I'll draw you a bubble bath and hand feed you grapes, I promise" Jesse cooed as they made their way up to the old woman's house. Jesse knocked on the door, "Mr's Taylor" he shouted "it's" he paused and looked at Susan for inspiration but she could only shrug "It's, er we were sent by Detective Sloan" he improvised.

Rose Taylor opened the door, she firmly gripped the top of the bright pink floral dressing gown which was wrapped around her tiny frame. She looked Jesse and Susan up and down then screeched "what did he say you were, auxiliary officers on the investigation or something?" Jesse and Susan nodded weakly in agreement. "All the tax I pay and they can't even send a guy in uniform! Well not much you can do now except go next-door and tell that crazy fool Charlie that it ain't exactly civilised to be pulling up trees at this time of night."

Jesse looked nervously at Susan then turned to Rose "I don't actually see anything at the minute Mrs Taylor, you mean that house there?" he pointed over the fence and the old woman tutted.

"Of course he's not doing it _now_, had one of those awful coughing fits of his and his wife came out and dragged him inside."

"So there's not really a problem now is there?" Susan observed dryly and the old woman scowled at her.

"Not until he starts again, my dear, no." 

"Does he often garden at night?" Jesse asked, not really caring anymore as he sensed the impending argument between himself and Susan.

"Not often, no, I mean very rarely if I'm honest" Rose realised the young couple were losing patients now.

"Has Mr Farrah ever really made a nuisance of himself with night-time gardening before" Susan asked even more shortly now.

"No" Rose conceded "at least not in the last 50 years "she chuckled" sorry to bother you both, goodnight."

"Hold on" Jesse called as she was closing the door. "What do you mean, in the last 50 years?"

The old woman sighed, "when he was a kid he'd often garden around dusk, said it was something to do with getting the plants in without the midday sun on them. Course he got a job and had to garden when ever he could until he retired."

Jesse's shoulders slumped, he was about to wish the old woman goodnight again when she began to mutter.

"Putting plants in at dusk, I can see that. Pulling a tree up in the middle of night makes no sense to me though. Guess he knows best, he planted the thing in the pitch black, must be something to do with the species I guess". 

****

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"This better be good, Jess" Amanda scolded as she stormed into the doctor's lounge "I've got four guys on gurneys down there and they aren't going anywhere without me."

Jesse and Susan giggled between themselves as Steve sat dozing on the couch beside his father.

"I got paperwork with my name on it too, we're all here so let's get started" Steve muttered.

"We went to see Mrs Taylor" Susan began excitedly.

"She was complaining about Charlie next door and his night time gardening" Jesse explained.

"So Jesse says 'he's not making any noise _now_ ma'am'"

"And the old woman tells me of course not, his wife dragged him in cos he was unwell"

Steve motioned for them to speed up their double act.

"We said there's no problem, but she says he's done it before" Susan tried to condense the story.

"We pushed her on it and she says he likes to garden at dusk, good for the plants or something"

"It is" Mark agreed to Steve's disapproval "Charlie's a keen gardener so no reason for him not to"

"Well" Jesse continued "We figure there's nothing to learn and we're about to go and she says, this is different, this isn't dusk, this is pitch black. And she can remember only one time before when he worked in total darkness". Jesse paused before making his final revelation. The gap he left was just long enough for the pieces to click in Marks mind.

"The night he planted those two oak saplings" he grinned, missing the dejected looks on Jesse and Susan's faces. Mark turned to Steve "I should have realised yesterday, Charlie emphasised how he'd grown everything in that garden himself but he couldn't have planted the oaks from scratch, they're far too mature. They must have been reasonable sized saplings if not trees when he put them in".

"Want to know when he planted them?" Jesse asked trying to reclaim his thunder.

"Oh, 1945, 1946 at a wild guess" Steve answered.

Susan nodded as Jesse slumped down into his chair "January 1946, Mr's Taylor remembers thinking it was an odd time to plant trees 'cos there'd been a sudden cold snap".

Steve thought for a while "Anybody want to jump to the same conclusions as me?" he invited.

"Charlie gets out of prison only to find Harriet has seen the light" Mark offered.

"He decides he won't let anybody else have her" Susan suggested but Mark shook his head.

"Given the way he talked about her I'd go for lover's tiff which went too far, I don't see Charlie as a cold blooded murderer."

"Maybe not towards Harriet" Steve pointed out "but Annie would be a different matter, he hated her, blamed he for turning Harriet against him. Annie he could have killed in cold blood."

"But none of that makes sense" Amanda jumped in "Annie and Harriet didn't just disappear, they planned on leaving, Annie resigned here and took a new job in Canada, even called Donald to say when she'd be arriving. And they sold the house through an agent, it's too neat."

"Maybe Charlie got lucky" Jesse suggested "Annie and Harriet were about to leave town which made it easier for him to dispose of them, nobody would come looking for them 'cos they'd already planned on leaving town."

Steve sighed "Or Maybe Charlie never did anything more than steal five bucks from the neighbours purse when he was a kid. Maybe Annie decided she couldn't face Donald in Canada, the pressure he was putting on her to have a child. Harriet had planned on getting out of town to start a new life and at the last minute Annie decided to join her. For all we know they're sitting in Florida with their grandkids on their knees, and Charlie planted the oaks a testament to the great lost love of his life. That could be why he planted them at night, he was drunk or crazy with the loss, gardening is how he expresses himself" he suggested wryly.

"And our baby?" Amanda asked softly. Steve shrugged, realising that despite all the information and speculation, they were no further forward.

"I don't know, I got so much other stuff on at the minute, this seems too messy, too old for goodness sake. What would you do now?" he asked Jesse and Susan.

Jesse straightened in his chair, surprised and flattered by the invitation "Me? I'd go for the trees. I mean if there's nothing there fair enough but you've got to wonder, right?" Susan nodded in agreement.

"But Jess we can't go pulling the guys garden up with no warrant, and we've got no evidence to get one. Like I told Mrs Taylor, gardening in the night isn't a crime."

"But he want's it pulled up" Susan reasoned "and he's an old man, he's in no fit state to be doing that digging."

"I don't want you doing your good citizen routine and offering to do it for him" Steve warned before rubbing a finger across his chin. "But it's not a bad idea. You busy?" he asked Mark

"I'm off at noon."

"Meet me at the station?"

"OK, what is it?" he asked, 

"Ah, just an idea, thanks guys, I'll see you later".


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 ****

Chapter 6

Mark crouched at the foot of the oak tree sifting the dark damp soil through his fingers. The spade leaning against the trunk had obviously been used by Charlie Farrah in his attempt to uproot the huge monument the previous evening. Steve too leant against the tree, carefully watching the house for sign's of life. 

"He's in there" he whispered to his father "His wife left half an hour ago but he's still in there, our head of neighbourhood watch was sure of her facts."

"How long do we wait?" Mark asked.

"Not long would be my guess, this garden is his pride and joy right? Even if he's got nothing to hide from us he's gonna be less than impressed with you tampering with everything"

Mark continued to 'examine' the exposed roots of the oak and as instructed he barely flinched when Steve whispered "We're on."

Charlie Farrah staggered down the steps from the porch and headed across the lawn to where Steve stood. "What can I do for you gentlemen today?" he asked briskly.

Steve left a lengthy silence before answering; the old mans eyes danced between him and the soil that Mark was scratching around in. "My father is a keen gardener sir, hope you don't mind him taking a look around your garden again?"

"Well, no, I mean, what do you want to look at. I've got more to show you than just bare dirt. Saw you admiring my roses the other day, I can give you a cutting if you like" he offered and Mark smiled up at him.

"I'll pass on the roses thanks all the same. I was more interested in these trees, fine specimens may I say." Farrah smiled weakly and Mark continued "You planted everything in the garden from seed or bulb?" he asked

"Yeah, like I told you yesterday, it's the only way. I don't get no satisfaction just moving plants somebody else took the time to rear."

Mark nodded and massaged the soil that remained in his hand "Must have been a tough one" he patted the tree "getting these to grow in soil like this. But I guess they must like it, they seem to have thrived, I would have put them at nearer a hundred years old if you asked me to guess."

Farrah fell silent; Steve discreetly nodded at Mark to continue "You planted the trees yourself though, like everything else in this garden?" Mark held his arms wide open and looked around.

"OK, you got me on that one, they were already fair sized when I put them in, suppose I was a bit more impatient in my youth, wanted instant results you know."

"Ah-ha" Mark nodded "so what's the problem?" Farrah tried to look puzzled. "I see you're uprooting them but they appear healthy enough." He looked towards the house "They can't block the light from this distance, it would seem almost a crime to get rid of such a lovely pair" he taunted.

There was a series of coughs before he replied "Well, I won't be here much longer so I figured I'd dig them up and give them to my eldest son. He likes to garden and the grandkids could use them to build trees houses and the like."

"So when will your son be here to finish up and take them away?" Steve asked.

Farrah spluttered again "Oh, change of plan, they're too big for his garden after all so I guess we'll just leave them in place. They probably wouldn't take well to the shift anyhow."

Mark nodded but his relaxed pose wasn't mirrored by Steve who was now standing straight and had moved half a step closer to Farrah.

"You know Mr Farrah, that's a real shame, cos I for one would have been really interested to see what's under those trees." Farrah laughed nervously and Steve continued "You know what I'm talking about don't you Sir" he added sternly as he held the man's eyes in his glare.

"I'm afraid not sonny, nothing down there but good nutritious soil."

"What is it they say?" he asked Mark "when somebody dies they say there're pushing up the daisies right?"

The colour drained from Farrah's already pale cheeks and Steve waited until he'd finished coughing before he continued. "If I were to dig up those trees what would I find pushing them up Mr Farrah?" he asked "A tree for each of them, is that how it goes? Guess it gave the saplings some added nutrients to get them going."

"Talking nonsense boy" Farrah turned and made his way unsteadily towards the house. Steve and Mark followed slowly a few steps behind him. The old man eased himself into one of the chairs on the porch and wheezed as Steve bent down and addressed him again.

"What would I find Mr Farrah?" he asked again.

"Nothing, you won't find nothing, not that those trees are going anywhere, at least not while I'm still alive."

"How can you be sure?" Steve taunted.

"You've got no reason to be destroying my garden, your boss I'll hear about it if you go within a mile of those trees you hear me?"

"I hear you" Steve held his palms up "but you know there have been cases lately, garden vandalism, theft of plants and trees. Think Mr Farrah, what would happen if in the dead of night some good for nothings were to take a liking to your trees and make away with them? Think what would happen if a police officer just happened to be driving past and saw something suspicious poking out of a hole in the ground. In plain view, he'd be entitled to go and investigate don't you agree?"

Mark scowled behind his son now, feeling he was pushing the old man too far on pure speculation. And the way Farrah wheezed deeper and seemed unable to catch his breath concerned him greatly.

Steve remained crouched next to the old mans chair "Mr Farrah?" he asked gently "do you want to tell me what would happen if those trees were uprooted?"

Tears welled in the old man's eyes as he gazed across to the Reid's house. There was a gurgle in his throat before he whispered weakly "Dig 'em up for God's sake, see for yourself".

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"What did I miss?" Susan asked breathlessly as she entered the small room and kissed Jesse on the cheek. Amanda and Mark stood watching Charles Farrah through the one way glass; a broad young detective in a shirt and loosened tie sat facing him.

"Nothing yet, Steve just said we should come over" Amanda replied.

"They're still pulling up those trees" Mark added just as they saw Steve enter the interview room. His eyes darted towards the one way mirror and focused somewhere above his father's head. "But as soon as they started digging Farrah asked to come down here."

"Couldn't watch his crime uncovered" Amanda hypothesised as she shook her head in disgust.

Steve took the seat next to the other detective and began reading Farrah his rights. Susan shuddered and Jesse placed an arm around her shoulder.

"Well we got the first tree up Charlie" Steve started almost jovially "We goin' to find the other sister under the next one?" he asked, but Farrah didn't respond. "Come on Charlie, you got nothing to gain by keeping quiet now, might as well get on with it, our guys'll have the whole garden up in a day or two. Wonder what that ornamental pond hides?" he gibed.

"I'm not a mass murderer for God's sake" the old man shouted in disgust, "I'm not even a murderer" he dropped his head.

"Convince me" Steve invited him "Tell me how she got under that tree Charlie and I'll say if it sounds like murder or not."

"It looks bad" he whimpered "but I swear I'd already dug the hole, for the trees I mean. It wasn't like I planned on it. Just all of a sudden I've got this, this body and there's a hole in the garden and I was going to put the trees in that morning anyhow. I just figured…." he didn't finish.

The four observers next door exchanged glances before their attention again fell on the old man at the table.

"How about you start at the beginning?" Steve suggested and Farrah nodded.

"I got out of prison, January '46 and headed home. Except when I got there Harriet and Annie had sold up and moved. I asked around but nobody knew where they were, so I went to the hospital where Annie worked. They told me she'd quit, was going up to join that dumb ass Donald in Canada, so I'm pretty stuck where to go next."

Steve sat with his arms folded, glaring at the old man, deeply wary of the story he was giving so far.

"A couple of days later I'm busy in the garden when I figure I'll try the hospital again, if Annie's left maybe they have a forwarding address for her up north. I was in luck" he smiled sadly "She was collecting the last of her stuff from the place, bumped right into her as she was heading out."

"What happened next" Steve prompted after a minute

"I got her in the car and we drove around for a while. She wasn't as vocal as usual, I kept asking where Harriet was and she kept telling me it was too late, Harriet was gone and I wouldn't find her. I told her we could drive all day if that's what she wanted but I needed to know where Harriet was. She kept looking at her watch, telling me it was for my own good that I let her go. She just kept saying it was too late, Harriet had realised I was no good for her and if I knew what was good for me I'd drop her back at the hospital cos she was really late for something important. Guess that was her train up to Canada she was talking about, don't know why she'd bother, Donald didn't really want her, not when he realised she couldn't give him a kid. That was half her trouble you know, she was frightened Harriet and me could be happy like they could never hope.".

"But you didn't drop her at the hospital?" Steve observed.

"Oh I did" Farrah corrected him "but when I let her out she started screaming and shouting, that's when…." He trailed off.

"Go on" Steve prompted.

"You got to believe me son, it was an accident" he began to wheeze heavily "She just, I had my hand around her mouth, pulling her close to me telling her to shut the hell up. When I loosened my grip she turned round and slapped me so I….I hit her. Just the once mind you but she fell hard. I was kneeling beside her and I thought she was OK at first, but then I realised what had happened so I put her in the back of the car. I know how it sounds but you've got to understand, if somebody came out and found me I'd be on death row. I'd just got out after and assault charge, who'd believe me huh?"

"So you buried her in the garden correct?"

Farrah nodded, "hole was already there, once I'd put the trees in that was it, what could I do?"

"What about Harriet?"

"Like I told you at the house, I looked for her when I got out but I never found her and that's the truth. After all that happened with Annie, I couldn't keep looking, I wouldn't have been able to face her even if I had found her."

Steve leafed through the folder on the desk in front of him for a moment as Mr Farrah sat staring at one of the walls. Amanda shook her head and whispered to Mark "what do you think about the baby?", Mark just shrugged as Steve began to speak.

"Mr Farrah, a few days ago the remains of an infant were found at a house on Garrett Drive. Can you shed any light as to how they came to be there?"

Farrah's eyes widened "What the hell is this now?" he screamed "Infant you say, I told you already I'm not a murderer and I sure as hell didn't kill any child."

"Did you ever go to Annie and Harriet's house on Garret Drive?"

"No, I didn't even know that's where they'd moved to 'til you told me the other day" he answered defiantly.

"So you have no idea how the remains of a baby came to be hidden under the floorboards of the outhouse there?"

"I told you no, I killed Annie but it was an accident, I've never been on Garrett Drive and I sure as hell don't know nothing about a dead baby! What kind of a monster do you think I am? I changed my mind if that's OK, I won't say anymore without my lawyer present. You're turning this into a goddamn witch hunt and I won't be a party to it." He folded his arms indignantly, Steve and the other officer exchanged glances before Steve left the room. 

The four observers behind the one way mirror watched as Charlie Farrah began to rock gently in his chair before wiping away the tears which had formed in his eyes.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 ****

Chapter 7

"It doesn't make any sense to me" Jesse began as they all sat around the kitchen table in the beach house "Why would Farrah give a DNA sample for us to check out the baby?"

"Why not?" Mark retorted "If he's sure it's nothing to do with him than he's got nothing to lose and the courts see he's helping the police a much as he can."

"Do you really think they'd imprison him?" Susan asked "With his health the way it is?"

"Probably not" Steve replied "A secure unit in a hospital is more likely, if he lives out the trial that is."

"How did Donald Oxley take the news?"

"As well as could be expected, I promised he'd get Annie's personal effects when we're finished with them. It's got to be hard for him, all this time he thought Annie ditched him when in fact she really was on her way to be with him."

"Bingo!" Amanda announced as she stepped in from the deck "Preliminary results would suggest Charles Farrah is the father of our boy."

Mark shook his head in disbelief "his reaction when Steve mentioned it, I was sure it was nothing to do with him."

"Big coincidence otherwise, two murders sounds a bit far fetched to me" Jesse argued.

"OK, Charlie is the father but we still don't know which sister mothered the child" Amanda pointed out continuing on the confused faces around her "Suppose Annie and Donald couldn't have children, but Annie assumed it was Donald's problem. Her and Charlie have one of those love-hate relationships and when he gets out of prison she's taking his kid up to Canada to pass it off as Donald's."

Steve shook his head "I think Charlie and Annie were _hate_-hate, if she wanted a father for a child she'd have looked anywhere but there. And Charlie was crazy about Harriet, he wouldn't do anything to jeopardise their relationship. If Charlie had killed the baby, why not bury him with Annie, the hole had to be big enough for them both?" He paused "Donald Oxley went on to have children of his own so it was more likely that Annie had the problem conceiving."

"Meaning the baby was Harriet's" Mark finished.

Steve rubbed his forehead "Are we any further forward? We've still got a baby but no firm evidence he was murdered, OK we are pretty sure on the mother and know the father but what else? Unless Charlie decides to throw some light on the subject I'm stumped."

"What about locating Harriet?" Amanda asked hopefully.

"Still no luck, for all we know she could be under that pond."

Mark patted him on the shoulder "Don't give up, at least they've convinced it's a case worth looking into now."

Steve managed half a smile before heading out onto the deck. Taking in the cool evening breeze he couldn't help but feel that this case had a lot more to it than met the eye.

****

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"Busy shift?" Mark asked Jesse as they walked together down the hospital corridor. 

"Nothing out of the usual so far" he answered "Still no news from Steve?"

Mark shook his head as they entered Amanda's pathology lab. "Farrah won't back down an inch as far as the baby goes, Steve says if anything his behaviour regarding the whole matter is getting more curious. And Harriet is still proving to be as elusive as ever."

"You think he'll break down and admit it?" Amanda asked as the pair walked in.

"I hope so, otherwise it looks like Steve is really at a dead end. Have the remains turned up any more clues?" he inquired hopefully.

"No but there is some good news, the full DNA report is back, Charles Farrah is definitely the father of the baby, Annie Oxley as you might expect rates as a possibility for the mother."

"As an aunt that's no surprise" Jesse added. 

The door opened and Steve walked in looking deflated "What's the news?" he asked Amanda.

"Farrah is definitely the father, Annie Oxley could have been the mother, then again the match they got could indicate she was just an aunt."

Steve shook his head "nothing else?" Amanda shrugged an apology "great" he snapped.

"No more luck with Farrah" Mark probed gently.

"Huh! That'd be right, old guy keeled over this morning so chances of me getting a decent go at him again are slim. He's upstairs on a ventilator as we speak." He thought for a while then asked all three "you've had a few days since his arrest to look over his medical charts, how bad is he, really?" 

Mark thought for a moment "He had part of his lung removed due to cancer, severe emphysema, still smokes heavily. What did they say upstairs?"

"Some sort of lung infection" Steve replied.

"In that case" Mark continued "He's not in much shape at all".

Steve pondered his father's diagnosis "If his trial were to get underway quickly, he tells the jury what he told us and the baby isn't brought into it due to lack of evidence, we could be looking at three months 'til sentencing" he reasoned. "What are his chances of living that long?"

"It's possible" Jesse answered "But it's not unreasonable to assume that with the stress and all he could be looking at less than a month"

Steve seemed dissatisfied with his prognosis. "He's claiming he let us dig up the garden because he wanted his version of events to be known. He knows he won't live to see prison so it's better to die with a clear conscience." The others nodded in agreement "So why not get the baby off his chest too?" Steve was almost shouting now "Why won't he get it all out in the open, hell why won't he even admit to being the father when he knows we can prove it?"

Mark held up a finger to silence his son as a light flashed in his brain "Hold on" he paused as if running the scenario by himself before offering it to the others. "What if" he began "what if he's telling the truth". Steve looked unconvinced "What if Charlie never knew about the baby."

Before anybody could reply Steve's phone broke the silence "Sloan" he snapped "Who? Are you sure?" he demanded gruffly "OK, OK put her through".

There was a collective intake of breath as Steve spoke softly "Miss Reid, Detective Sloan here". Nobody else in the room could hear the frail quivering voice on the other end, eventually Steve replied "Yes of course, I understand. When would be convenient for you?". He proceeded to scribble on a notepad at Amanda's desk before politely wishing the old lady goodbye. He slipped the phone back in his pocket and turned to be greeted by three expectant faces. He laughed lightly "I hope this isn't a hoax" he ran his fingers through his hair "so who'd like to come with me and meet Harriet Reid?"


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 ****

Chapter 8

Steve knew the old lady was in her early seventies now but her movements were still sprightly. Her pure white hair was pulled back immaculately, her cheeks had a natural rose to them and despite the reason for their visit her eyes seemed to have a sparkle to them. She poured three cups of tea, handing them to Steve, Amanda and Mark, then served herself and took a seat in the modest garden behind her house.

"I didn't realise the police worked so closely with doctors" she observed and Amanda felt a little guilty at her unnecessary presence. Steve was inwardly relieved that Jesse and Susan had to work otherwise they'd have been like a mob descending on the old woman. "When I read it in the papers, I couldn't, I just couldn't believe it. Still can't I guess."

"That's understandable" Steve offered as words of reassurance "It must have been a shock for you."

The old lady nodded slowly "Annie always told me he was no good you know, but I…I never listened I guess. If you had cause to dig up his garden he must've been in a lot of trouble with the law."

Steve shook his head weakly "As I said, we came across him in the course of other investigations." She nodded politely but it was obvious Steve's statement had little meaning to her "You were saying about Annie?"

"She and Donald took good care of me after our parents passed away but I was young, wanted to be out enjoying myself. I always felt Annie resented my freedom after she got married. Oh listen to me, all that's happened and I'm talking on like this!"

"It's good, it's all helpful really Miss Reid" Steve assured her.

"Miss Ross" she corrected him "Haven't been miss Reid since I left this town for Nevada in 1946." After a pause Steve asked her again,

"Miss Ross, can you tell us a little about your relationship with Charles Farrah, why you left town, changed your name?"

She looked at Mark as if for support "They were different times weren't they?" he nodded, then to Amanda "It wasn't so easy for us girls back then. Me and Charlie, we were like that" she crossed her fingers "from the time I could walk I was running around with that boy. His mother used to say we were two peas in a pod". Amanda had warmed instantly to Harriet as had Mark, but Steve was having a hard time listening to her using Farrah's name so affectionately now that she knew what he'd done.

"He was a handsome devil" she continued, unaware of the comparison she'd used "and he _could_ be a little devil at times" she laughed. Her smile fell to a frown as she asked Steve "He really did it?"

Steve nodded, "he claims it was an accident, as I said before".

She sighed "Annie told me he was no good but I never believed her. Charlie and I were just happy the two of us you know. Donald, Annie's husband had moved up to Canada, they were having troubles so she stayed behind here with me." The realisation hit her "My god does Donald know?". Steve nodded "Poor Donald, he was a good man." She sipped at her tea and gazed down the garden. "Times were different" she began again "a child out of wedlock was something big, and not something to be proud of" tears welled in her eyes and she dabbed at them with her handkerchief. Amanda wriggled uncomfortably in her chair as Steve and Mark sat motionless.

"Ah, look at me, after all this time" Harriet scolded herself "Charlie was thrilled when I told him, said we should go off and get married, we'd be a family, just the three of us. Then he went and got himself thrown in jail! Annie didn't want to stay in the old neighbourhood, she was frightened what the people around there would think. She bought us a little place on Garrett Drive from a doctor she worked with at the hospital. The time while I was pregnant we discussed all sorts of options but one seemed more logical than the rest. She said it was obvious Charlie was only heading one way, she and Donald had a good marriage but not having a baby was tearing them apart. So she offered to take him when he was born, take him to Canada where he'd be part of a proper family you know?"

Amanda nodded slowly and Steve gently asked the old lady to continue. 

"I still hoped Charlie would come and take care of us but he never did. Annie said she'd seen him at our old place but he was hanging around with somebody new, guess it could be the lady he married, the one mentioned in the paper. I was in no state to go across town looking for him and in the end I figured Annie was right. What would he want with me and" she stopped.

"And what?" Mark asked.

"I was gonna say what would a young man want with me and a baby when he could be off having fun. But that wasn't Charlie, it really wasn't. The night I told him about the baby he was over the moon. He'd been an only child, Charlie, said he wanted a big family of his own, lots of kids." She dabbed the tears from her cheeks "Patrick was born January 26th 1946, Annie delivered him herself and Charlie was nowhere in sight. I had one night with my baby, oh and a more beautiful boy you've never seen." Amanda gripped the arms of the chair tightly as Mark looked over at Steve allowing himself to smile softly. "My bags were packed and the arrangements had been made. I'd take the bus to a Nevada, a little place called Connor's Bridge where we had an aunt. Annie would take Patrick on the train to meet Donald in Vancouver, he'd be small enough that they could register the birth together without suspicion. You maybe can't understand this but I wasn't sad that day. I knew my little boy was going to grow up loved, with a mother and father. That was more than Charlie and I could give him."

Amanda composed herself and lent closer to Harriet "You went to Nevada that day?"

She nodded "Cried all the way there, but I wasn't really sad if that makes sense, people on the bus thought I was crazy. I lived with my aunt for just over a year then got my own place. A little while later I opened a general store in the town, sold up 18 years ago and moved back here."

"Why did you come back?" Mark asked.

"I had nobody in Connor's Bridge, I never got married, had no more children. Annie had promised she'd call me from Vancouver but she never did….now I know why. At the time, all these years I thought she'd" Harriet wiped away more tears "I thought she'd used me just to take Patrick away. I thought maybe she'd told Donald he was theirs or was just too embarrassed to have me around. Either way I figured I wasn't wanted up there so I came back here." She pointed to the house behind here "from my window upstairs I can see the river Charlie and I used to swim in as kids."

"Did you ever contact Charlie Farrah, when you returned I mean?" Steve asked.

"No, I looked his name up in the phone book like a silly teenager, saw him listed as a Mr and Mrs. I was happy for him, but, well kind of sad for myself I suppose. I never married, as I said before, and the truth is I never really looked at a man after Charlie. He and Patrick were everything I wanted. Now it looks as though Annie was right, Charlie was good for nothing and it's a blessing I didn't marry him when he asked."

Steve sat desperately considering how to bring up the question of the body they'd found in the outhouse. The old woman's ensuing statement threw him into confusion, along with Amanda and Mark.

"Does Patrick know about me?" She asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry?" Steve began, not understanding the old woman's question.

"You said Charlie and Annie fought the afternoon she was leaving for Canada. If it happened like he said then Annie must have had Patrick with her. The papers said Charlie had children of his own, Charlie raised Patrick with his new fancy woman, correct?"

Mark closed his eyes and Amanda turned her head from the table as Harriet looked at them in confusion. "Tell me!" she demanded though her voice was still soft "please tell me what's going on" she begged looking pleadingly at Mark.

Steve lent forward and took one of her hands in his own. "Miss Ross, I'm very sorry. A young man was renovating a property on Garrett Drive recently and beneath the floorboards of the outhouse"

"No" she sobbed quietly pulling her hands from Steve's and covering her face "please God no, it can't be true"

Through her sobs of disbelief Steve attempted to continue with his explanation "we traced the property to your sister and investigations led us to Charles Farrah. At the moment he's still denying all knowledge of the child found at the property but we have proof, DNA confirmation that he was the father. He has nothing to gain by denying he knew about the baby" 

"No", she continued to cry "my baby, my baby, oh Patrick no."

"we're doing everything we can to determine what happened to Patrick"

"You don't understand" Harriet wailed "Charlie didn't kill Patrick" there was an instant hush "I did."

****

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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mark asked as he held Harriet Ross' arm to steady her. The corridor of the hospital was dark now and a police officer sat on a chair by the door next to them. The old lady nodded and Steve signalled for the young officer to take a break. Harriet gasped as she saw Charlie Farrah propped up in bed in the corner of the room. Jesse stood beside the old man.

"Charlie?" Harriet asked tentatively, and the old man reached out a feeble hand towards her.

"I'm sorry" he croaked from behind his oxygen mask. Mark helped Harriet take a seat beside the bed, Steve joined Jesse at the other side and Amanda stood behind Mark in the doorway.

"No Charlie, I'm sorry" she began "It was my fault, Patrick I mean, our baby" she sniffed. "When they told me they found him I couldn't believe it. I'm sorry."

Jesse looked confused but waited for the elderly couple to continue.

"I never meant to hurt Annie" Charlie coughed "I never would of, I'd never hurt you by doing something like that, it was an accident, you believe me don't you?"

Harriet nodded "And you believe me, that leaving Patrick there was meant to be for the best?"

Charlie wheezed and pulled the mask away from his face "I don't understand" he croaked "Annie told me there was no baby."

"She was supposed to take him to Canada, her and Donald were to raise him. I had to leave for the bus and she wasn't back from the hospital" she paused "she told me if she was late I should just go, but I should leave Patrick in the outhouse. The estate agent was coming around and Annie didn't want somebody to find him home by himself. It was such a safe place under there" she added in defensive tones, looking to Mark for reassurance. "Dr Robins, the man Annie bought the house from, his children had constructed it as part of a den I guess, used to hide things down there. Not long after we moved in one of his boys came by the house to collect some toy he'd left down there, that's how we knew about it. They'd built it out of an old tin and bits of wood, it was strong and not damp like you'd think. I wrapped him up real well." She paused. "I wrapped him in that shawl you bought for my birthday, I thought then he'd always have something to know us by."

Amanda smiled across at Steve from the doorway.

Charlie continued to shake his head "No baby, she said there was no baby. I came to the house and the doctor was there, she told me I was too late the baby was gone. That's why I hit the jerk, she told me he'd killed our baby. I said I would have married you gladly but she told me no. Said you wanted nothing to do with me and our baby was gone."

"When?" Harriet asked, confused and in disbelief.

"The night you went home to tell Annie you were pregnant, I saw the car outside and the guy leaving the house with a doctors bag. I thought something had happened to you so I came across. She told me you'd seen sense and…she said you'd gotten rid of our baby Harriet."

"And you hit Dr Robins" she said as the pieces fell into place in her mind.

Charlie nodded "When I got out of prison I came looking for you but I didn't have any luck. That's when I went to the hospital and…..oh god" he cried. "It was an accident I swear, but she kept telling me, 'let go', saying she was late and it was in my own interest that I leave her be. I thought she was late for the train but she knew about Patrick, she knew she had to get to him and I stopped her." He lay wheezing for a moment as Harriet held his hand, dabbing away her own tears of guilt and regret.

Charlie spoke again "She said you were gone, off to start a new life and that you'd realised you were better off without me. I wouldn't believe her, so I took the address from her purse and went to the house. I wanted to tell you that I still loved you, that I'd still marry you if you'd believe I'd changed." He looked at Steve "when you told me you'd found a body at Garrett Drive I figured I was in enough trouble, why tell you I'd ever been there. I honestly didn't know anything about our baby, now you see why I could never harm a child" Steve nodded and Harriet answered.

"Because you'd known the pain when you thought I'd harmed our baby?" Charlie nodded "then why come after me?" Harriet asked in disbelief.

"Because my love there's nothing you could do to change the way I feel about you. Even if you'd done what Annie and the doctor told me, we could have had another baby."

"You'd have forgiven me?"

"I _loved_ you" the old man whispered.

"You never heard the baby?" Steve finally asked the old man "when you went over to Garrett Drive."

Charlie coughed and shook his head "I was only looking for Harriet, I peered through the windows, the small one in the outhouse too but I didn't see anything so I never went inside. I suppose I should have, the noise might have disturbed him and I….."

"Don't Charlie…" Harriet pleaded, "there are too many 'what if's'. I shouldn't have left him there and you should have told the police about Annie's accident. But nothing changes the past, we have to live with what we did and pray for god's forgiveness."

The room fell silent, and Jesse moved forwards to place the mask back over Charlie's face. Amanda and Mark headed towards the door as Steve helped Harriet to her feet. Charlie coughed and spoke again "we're you happy my love?" he asked tenderly.

Harriet answered without hesitation "Every time I thought about our baby, and you." Amanda brushed away a tear as they left Charlie alone to consider the consequences of his actions.


	10. Postscript

Postscript ****

Postscript

The afternoon sun on the deck was offset by the cool sea breeze as Jesse and Susan joined Amanda and Mark.

"Where's Steve?" Jesse asked. 

"He called from the station, said something came up and he'd join us in a while" Mark replied.

"I hear Harriet Ross paid for Annie and Patrick to be buried yesterday" Susan began.

Amanda nodded "It was beautiful" she smiled at Mark "I know my job detaches me more than yours but it's only right for somebody, _anybody_ to have a proper funeral."

Jesse nodded "And I think Steve proved every case is a deserving one, no matter how old."

Mark smiled and shook his head.

"What?" Steve asked as he appeared in the doorway, pulling up a chair beside Amanda.

"Just imagine if you'd let the investigation fall to the bottom of the pile" Mark began "That babies body wasn't the only thing that was uncovered in Garrett Drive." 

"Donald Oxley would have kept on believing that Annie left him by choice" Susan pointed out "At least now he knows that she still loved him."

"Harriet too" Jesse added "She thought Annie had shunned her because she was ashamed, now she knows why she never got in touch, why she never sent any photos of Patrick."

"And don't forget Charlie Farrah" Mark pointed out "we'll never know exactly what happened that day with Annie, but it's not ours to judge now. Where he's gone there is only one vote that counts" he pointed skywards. "But whatever did happen in 1946, I know what I saw in that hospital room. Charlie knew he was dying, he had no reason to lie. I honestly believe he loved Harriet, I believed that the first day I met him. I think he deserved to find out the truth as much as anyone, that Harriet hadn't harmed their baby, that she loved him but was led to believe he didn't want her."

"And Harriet found out the same" Steve concluded "That Charlie had loved her and was willing to start a new life with her, no matter what. It seems Annie really had a lot to answer for there." 

"How do you think Harriet will cope now?" Amanda asked, not recognising the look on Steve's face "I mean really as far as Patrick is concerned, she's lived the only painless lie in this mess. She thought he was safe and well in Canada, now with all this guilt about hiding him away…."

"She won't have to worry" Steve interrupted "I got a call at the station just as I was leaving. Harriet Ross didn't open her curtains this morning, so one of the neighbours went around to check. It seems she passed away in her sleep."

Mark sat back in his chair and let out a deep breath "within a few days of Charlie" he shook his head.

"She died of a broken heart," Susan said softly,

"She died knowing the truth," Amanda added.

Mark looked down at the ocean, not addressing anybody in particular he said; "they were different times. Having a child out of wedlock was scandalous. Not being able to have a child was deemed a failure. Annie saw an answer, Harriet kept her reputation and she and Donald could raise Patrick as their own."

"And if Patrick had been born today?" Jesse asked already knowing the answer.

"Harriet and Charlie loved each other, he'd never been in any serious trouble until that point. Nobody would care that they weren't married and chances are they'd have lived happily ever after" Amanda speculated.

Mark turned to Steve and grinned "What was it Charlie Farrah said that day in his garden?" he asked.

Steve thought for a moment. "The guy doesn't always get the girl" he smiled, "it's not _always_ happily ever after."


End file.
